Strike averted at Molson Coors brewery

Molson Coors brewery workers have agreed not to go on strike after signing a last-ditch deal that ends a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Trouble started brewing at the Burton-on-Trent site in March when Molson Coors threatened to slash the pay of 184 technicians by £9,000 a year and overhaul shift patterns, meaning the 455 workers could be called in at 24 hours’ notice.

The workers threatened industrial action – with 97% voting in favour – and rejected Molson Coors’ first proposal to resolve the dispute on July 1 following a ballot by the union Unite.

They have now voted to accept a second deal, averting strike action at the 11th hour.

The workers facing £9,000 cuts will now lose £862 from January 1, 2014, and another £862 from January 1, 2015, and the changes to shift patterns were scrapped.

Unite claimed it as a victory for its members, with the union’s regional officer Rick Coyle saying: “This workforce stunned Molson Coors by the strength, determination and scale of the solidarity they displayed. “The 97% vote in favour of strike action will never be forgotten. Unite is proud to have delivered an honourable outcome for members in a dire situation that originally saw some workers face losing their homes.”

Site Search

Newsletter

COMMENT

One of the most fascinating stories in wine, fit to stand alongside the Judgement of Paris, is that of Rudy Kurniawan, a man who managed to fool friends, auction houses and experts into believing they were drinking some of the world’s most expensive wines.